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The government scheme to implement a pre-Christmas Covid lockdown for English universities led to discussions in most of the student platforms in the UK.
On the 14th October ministers shared their intentions to put all the English institutes into two weeks lockdown before Christmas. The minister’s idea required students to stay on campus and classes to continue online. The government plan is still in its early phase, but the initial dates of lockdown are planned from 8th until 22nd December.
The measures come as a part of the government programme to make sure that the students will go back home safely for the holidays and will not put their relatives in danger.
Some of the students approve the measures introduced by the government because they realise how dangerous will be if all of them come back home at the same time in the middle of the winter. Another student advises that perhaps if students self-isolate for at least 10 days before returning home that will be the easiest way to avoid contracting their families.
However, other students disagree with the minister’s project due to the number of challenges that could arise. Staying at home is not an option for some undergraduates because work is the only option they have to pay their bills and rent.
Additionally, students have also expressed the opinion that the classrooms are sterile and all the measures in most of the universities have been already taken, such as compulsory masks, two metres distance and hand gel stations in every corner.
Finally, most of the students agree that universities have adapted the timetable to be mostly online with a limited amount of in-class attendance of up to two days per week.
Words: Vanya Petyova